Railroad tie



Nov. 6, 1923.

F. A. BRAGG RAILROAD TIE JNVENITOR. Fre 1Z2 rick A 23 Z'dfi.

Filed June 21, 1925 A TTOR NEY.

Patented Nov. 6, 1923.,

FREDERICK A. BBAGG, F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

RAILROAD TIE.

Application filed June 21, 1923. Serial No. 646,974.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, FRnnnRIoK A. BRAGG, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Springfield, countyof Hampden, 6 Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Railroad Ties, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in 10 the construction ofrailroad ties ofthe type in which boxes or receptacles of'suitable sizeare provided for supporting the rails of the main track. These boxes areconnected together by pieces or" abandoned railroad rail irons whichserve as the connecting rods between the boxes.

An object of the invention is to simplify and lessen the cost ofconstruction of the usual wooden railroad tie; and at the same timematerially increase the durability of its lasting qualities.

It is well known that material for railroad ties is becoming very scarceparticularly the usual and well known chestnut tie which has been in usefor many years.

It is also well known that the rails after 5 being in use for a certainlength of time be come worn so that they have to be discarded. It isproposed to use these abandoned ralls v in constructing the present tie.

7 One of the objects of the invention is to make the tie elastic as wellas durable. It is also proposed to thoroughly insulate the main railsfor providing for the usual block 36 s stem which carries the currentthrough the rails for operating the signals of the blocks.

Broadly, my invention comprises two boxes or receptacles which arefilled with concrete in which rest and are embedded the cross rail ortie piece which connects the boxes. Also embedded in these boxes areblocks of wood into which spikes which retain the main rails in placeare driven. These embedded rails on which the main rails rest areprovided with insulating caps, "or pieces, for insulating the main railsfrom the cross rails or tie rods. Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 isa plan view of a section of one form of my invention showingtwo of the completed ties and a portion of the main rail supported onthe boxes;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of another form of a completed section showing a:slight modification in which two cross ties, or rods, are employed inplace of the single one shown in Fig. 1;

F ig. 3 is a detail sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showingthe interior construction of one of the supporting boxes or receptaclesthat receives the cross tie and the wooden blocks imbedded in theconcrete;

Fig. 4: is a detail perspective view, similar to Fig. 3, but showing thecompleted box or receptacle and illustrating the upper surface on whichthe main rail is placed;

Fig 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 55 of F ig. 2 showing thetwo cross or connecting tie rails located within the box and a portionof the main rail supported thereon; and

Fig. 6 is a detail view of one or" the rail supporting boxes.

Referring to the drawings in detail:

1 designates the main rails and 2 the cross or tie rails. 3 designatesone of the boxes which may be formed of sheet'metal and made of asuitable size as to length, breadth and height. In practice they wouldbe substantially onecubic foot. The opposite sides of the box 3 are cutopen a portion of their height and'the cut out portion of the metal isbent downward as shown in Figs. 3 and 6 at 4. Resting on the bent overor turned in portions 4; of the boxes are the cross rails or tie pieces5. The lower flange 6 of the rail is shown as engaging the pieces 4.-The distance of the pieces 4 from the top of the box is substantiallyequal to the height of the rail 5, so that its upper surface 5 is flushwith the upper edges of the box as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. 7indicates-blocks of wood, the lower surfaces of which engage theoppositely located flanges 6 of the rail andextend upward flush with theupper surface 5' of the rail 5. Each of the blocks 7 is incased inametal casing 7' solidly packed with concrete material 8 which completelyfill the box and all of the space surrounding the rail 5 and the easing7 which receives the block 7. The main rails are then placed on the topof the boxes as shown in Fig. 1 and secured in place by driving theusual spikes 9 into the blocks 7, whereby the main rails 1 are firmlysecured in place similar to the usual way of nailing the main rail tothe usual wooden tie.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 5 the single cross rail or tie rod shown inFig. 1 is replaced by two pieces of cross rails or tie rods indicated at10 and 11. These rails, as shown in Fig. 5, are placed side by sidewiththeir flanges 12 in contact with each other and located on theoppositely located bent over plates 4 of the boxes 3. They are tied to?gether laterally by means of the rods 13 and the nut construction 14.These rods 13 serve the double urpose of holding the rails 10 and 11 inxed relation to each other and also to prevent the rails from movinlongitudinally in the boxes 3. 15, 16 an 17 are blocks of wood placed onthe flanges 12 and located outside of and between the rails 10 and 11 asshown in Fig. 5. These blocks are incased in the metal casings 17 Theblocks serve to secure the main rails 1 to the boxes 3. For the purposeof insulating the tie rails 55, 10 and 11 from the main rail 1 caps ofinsulating material 18 are placed on the tie rails and directly underthe flange 1 of the main rails. The cross rails 10 and 11 are of smallerconstruction or cross sectional area than the single cross rail shown inFigs. 1 at 2. i

It will be seen from this description that I have produced a railroadtie which possesses lasting qualities and which makes use of discardedpleces of railroad iron or rails which, serve as theconuectin ties orrod por tion of the completed ties. The construction also possesseselastic qualities and one that may be readily installed or replaced.

What I claim is:

1. A combination of main track rails and oppositely located receptaclesfor supporting the main track rails, tie rods connecting thereceptacles, a suitable hardening material pouredinto the receptacles,for se curing the tie rods in place and means for attaching the mainrails to the receptacles.

2. A railroad tie construction comprising, in combination, a pair ofboxes having ledges or flanges located therein, a piece of railroad ironhaving its lower flange supported on said ledges or flanges, the boxesbeing filled with a hardening material for permanently securing the ironin place in the boxes, and means in the boxes for securing the mainrails of the track thereto. v

3. A railroad tie construction comprising in combination, a pair ofoppositely located boxes or receptacles having supporting portionstherein, a piece of railroad iron having its lower flange supported onsaid portions, said iron servlng as a connecting rod for the boxes,blocks in the receptacles and a hardening filling'material filling thespace in the boxes and serving to retain the blocks and tie rods inplace, the blocks and tie rods serving to support the main rails and forattaching the same to the boxes or receptacles.

1. A combination of track rails and oppositely located receptacles,connecting tie rods in said receptacles for connecting the'sametogether, securing blocks in the receptacles for attachin main rails tothe boxes, the interior of t "e boxes being filled with concretematerial to provide a permanent construction, and means for insulatingthe tie rods from the main track rails.

5. A combination of track rails and a pair of oppositely disposed boxes,or receptacles, connected by two tie rods of railroad irons, a bolt forconnecting the rods together, each of the boxes being filled withconcrete for permanentlysecuring the railroad irons in place in thereceptacle, main track rails secured to the boxes by means of theembedded material possessing suitable elastic qualities for receivingrail securing spikes, as described, and for producing the necessaryelasticity for the main track rails.

6. A combination of track rails and a. pair of main rail support-boxes,a shelf part on each box, a piece of railroad iron having its flangesupported on said part for connecting the boxes together, casings in theboxes, blocks of wood inthe casings for attaching main rails thereto,the boxes being filled with concrete material for securing the casingsand cross tie rail iron in place.

7. A supporting box for a railroad mainline rail comprising a memberhaving op ositely located openings, a supporting le ge part adjacenteach of the openings to receive a member for connecting two boxestogether to form a tie, a. connecting member, said box being designed toreceive concrete material for securing the connecting member for theboxes together.

8. A combination of track rails and oppositely located rail supportingreceptacles, said receptacles having op ositely located openings, a tiemember in t e openings for connecting the receptacles together, cementfor securing the tie member in the rail supporting receptacles, blocksin the cement for attaching the main line track rails to the saidsupporting receptacles.

9. A combination of track rails and oppositely located receptacles, saidreceptacles having oppositely located openings, a tie rod member in theopenings for connecting the receptacles together, cement for securingthe tie rod member in the receptacles, blocks in the cement forattaching the track rails to the said supporting receptacles, andinsulating material located between the tie rod members and the mainline rails.

10. A combination of track rails and a pair of rail supporting members,rail- 5 road iron connecting said members together, the tread part ofthe connecting railroad irons serving to receive the flanges of thetrack rails, blocks of wood in the rail supporting members into whichnails for securing the track rails to the connecting members are driven,cement in the members to secure the blocks and the connecting railroadiron in place in the said sup porting members.

FREDERICK A. BRAGG.

